Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro OKs temporary SEPTA funding

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro today approved up to $394 million in future capital funding to be used by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority to maintain services for two years.

Late last week, SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer sent a letter to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation requesting the funding flexibility, and with the Shapiro administration’s approval, SEPTA will be able to preserve existing service and avoid planned service cuts for the next two years, according to a press release issued by Shapiro's office.

The funding approval comes after Judge Sierra Thomas-Street on Sept. 4 ordered SEPTA to restore all service cuts and slash all future cuts that were intended to address the transit agency's $213 million budget deficit. SEPTA intends to restore all services by Sept. 14. The judge did not bar SEPTA from implementing a planned 21.5% fare hike.

The approved funding from the state will enable SEPTA to return to full services for the remainder of the year and through 2026, but does not address the ongoing funding crisis, agency officials said. State legislators have not passed a long-term funding plan for SEPTA.

Shortly after SEPTA had begun implementing phased service cuts on Aug. 24, three riders filed a lawsuit alleging that SEPTA was targeting routes that hit low income and minority riders in an effort to gain state funding that the agency doesn't need. The lawsuit argues that SEPTA has the funding to avoid service cuts in a stabilization fund, according to NBC.